The transfer window is almost upon us, so who is being linked with a move to St Mary's this summer, as the name of Southampton is used in vain by agents to try and move on their clients. Read on for the Ugly Inside list of potential incoming players.

The Premier League season has been over just a matter of days and the transfer window doesn't officially open until next week, but already we are into double figures with players being linked with a move to Saints.

The transfer rumour with the most substance so far is in the goalkeeping department where a double swoop appears to be in the offing if we believe the media.

Top of the list is Polish goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski, as reported on this site a couple of weeks ago the Fiorentina keeper, lost his place due to injury early in the season after being the number 1 for several years, he is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and he seems to be on Saints radar and they are described by media outlets in Italy as being in advanced talks.

But he might not be the first goalkeeping signing through the doors at St Mary's, Saints are also being linked with his fellow countryman Mateusz Lis, he at 25 is a year older than Dragowski and is now a free agent after a one year deal with Turkish club Altay SK.

The club were keen to sign him again, but he turned down a new deal after the club were relegated from the top flight in Turkey.

However the twist in this rumour is that whilst the reports suggest he will sign a 5 year deal, it also claims that that he will spend the 2022/23 season out on loan, however, that may be the result of work-permit issues brought about by the post-Brexit era. Lis, although capped for Poland at U21 level does not have a single international cap for the senior Polish national team.

Next rumour seems to be a little strange it is Ryan Fredericks of West Ham, he is another out of contract and has struggled to get a game for the Hammers this season. however he is a right back and it would be strange if we would sign a fourth right back, given we already have Tino Livramento, Kyle Walker Peters & Yan Valery who can play in this position.

However with Tino Livramento out until January and Valery entering the last year of his contract meaning that we might want to cash in on him now, Fredericks could be a contender.

But he is far more likely to return to his former club Fulham, who being newly promoted to the Premier League are looking to strengthen.

Moving up the field a little another name linked is Derby winger Tom Lawrence, he too is out of contract in the summer, but he seems a strange signing to be linked with not just Saints but Leeds, Bournemouth and Fulham in the Premier League whilst Watford, West Brom and Nottingham Forest are also keen.

Given that he is now 28 and his transfer value has never risen above £6 million, Lawrence seems a strange signing.

Manchester is also said to be in Saints radar, from Old Trafford James Garner is being linked and three players from Manchester City, James McAtee, Cole Palmer & Liam Delap .
Garner played for Nottingham Forest on loan and has been an integral part of their march to the Championship play offs, the result of that match could determine his future next season.

Of the City trio, all are speculative, they have played just 6 Premier League games between them, the third has a name familiar to older Saints fans being the son of Saints once record signing back in 2001 Rory Delap, who played around 150 games for the club between 2001-06 , although he missed the 2003 cup final through injury.

However so far Delap Jnr has little more experience in the City first team than his two colleagues and again this link is probably based purely on Saints targetting youngsters last summer.

One rumour that might excite the fans is about Juventus starlet Koni de Winter, his agent has been speaking to the press about his client, according to De Winter’s representative, there are two potential options on the table as the 19-year-old weighs up his next move.

"Either he stays in Turin and forces his way into Max Allegri’s first-team plans, or he leaves for a short-term spell elsewhere. "

“He is a player in great demand on the transfer market, but there are no secrets between us and Juve. There is interest from England, Holland and Germany. We will talk. There is still a lot of time.”

The last man to join us from Juventus was Mario Lemina who did not turn out to be a class midfielder, so we should be a little wary.

According to Italian football media the two clubs in England interested are Saints & Liverpool, given that he would be unlikely to be any nearer the first team at Anfield than he is at Juve, that could well make Saints favourites, that is of course if they are interested.

De Winter is a centre back who will turn 20 next month, but has never appeared in Juventus's first team in any competition, yes Saints need central defenders, but they need experience not youngsters.

So there is no shortage of players being linked with Saints as a new era begins at St Mary's and given that this summer Saints will have a slight advantage in that they have not only their own scouting and black box reports to study, but also the ones that Rasmus Ankerssen will have from his time at Brentford.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 11:48 - May 27 Silly season indeed, I've noted more than a dozen players being " linked " in the last two weeks, and it sounds like some agents are desperately working on overtime. Of those (we know) that have been " floated "- Ryan Fredericks would seem a good choice, although not on a long-term contract, but as Tino's recovery time is only an estimate and it may take longer for him to get upto speed - and without a pre-season. The rumours about Polish / Albanian goalies may have some credence, but we need an establsihed type (Pope/ Johnstone) who knows their around the Prem. as a new no.1 Many of the younger names are unknown quantities, but we would need to be lucky and get "another Broja" - even for one season on loan. Of our existing players; we will see the likes of Walcott and Long-gone whilst Redmond, Djenepo and Stephens may already have one foot out of the door, and I am a little suspicious about the Harry Winks rumours. In my mind he is more of a a JWP-clone, in which case - would Prowsey still be with us next season with his World Cup place up for grabs ?...or would he join his neighbour and move to North-London. (Sorry I can't bring myself to name that club.) Those of us with short memories easily can recall, another former club captain who won every honour at the club - before promptly moving upto Merseyside that summer. I expect another dozen names to be mentioned (before we end up signing perhaps just one of them), and instead we take on board half-a dozen totally "unknown players".

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dirk_doone added 12:30 - May 27 We have to hope that none of those rumours are true and that we're going to sign some good players instead.
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Kenm added 12:50 - May 27 I feel the biggest culprit is Hassenhuttl ?, when Villa kill our run into touch !, they found FAULTS in our system of play and every other team saw this and capitalised from it. But sacking the coaches wrong the whole team needs to take responsibility especially the manager who turned a blind eye to it ?. Saints used to have 1 of the best academies around but Saints got rid of the coaches, Saints policy is to BUY cheap ?, players who are passed their SBD, players who are out of contract because the team longer think they good enough for the team, the new owner I would like to think that he has or is going to throw Saints currant strategy out the window i.e. (buy low sell massive ?). Hopefully he will change it around, WELL A VERY BIG HOPEFULLY

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sledger added 13:12 - May 27 if saints could loan james mcatee from man city it would be our best signing of the window,a massive star of the future
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EvertonSaint added 15:47 - May 27 One good bit of news…rumours are saying Vestergaard is available.
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davidargyll added 18:00 - May 27 Probably a very silly question this. But does anybody know how Rasmus Andersen’s moneyball black box works and/or whether those names mentioned here show up on it as being “under the radar”?
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Block8 added 18:32 - May 27 What's of more concern to me currently are the rumours of clubs circling our youngsters. With Liverpool apparently showing interest in Tyler Dibling and Diamond Edwards and Man City looking at Kegs Chauke. All whilst we appear to be more interested in the youth of others, the above plus Ryan Finnigan & Kazeem Olaigbe should be getting more involvement with the first team next season. I'd rather the club take a small risk on what we already have than waste the millions we have gambled on the likes of Djenepo!

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Block8 added 18:44 - May 27 On a different note, Maxwel Cornet & James Tarkowski, would be good signings. Particularly the latter who would be on a free & having the experience we desperately need!
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A1079 added 22:58 - May 27 Block 8 - agree with your comments on our supposed good prospects. What was bewildering to me was that in the last few weeks of the agonising final quarter of the season when it was clear that our first team members were not performing and seemingly could not lift themselves that none of our prospects were tried or tested.
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Block8 added 10:14 - May 28 A1079 been saying that for ages, one of Ralph's major failings in my eyes. We will go into next season with one or two gambles, costing around the £10,000,000 mark, without really knowing what we have here and now!
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JoeEgg added 10:33 - May 28 No Nick - the silly season has just finished! An appalling lack of consistent leadership both on and off the field. Anyone who watched our last dozen or so matches was surely totally embarrassed by what they saw. Now is the time for the new owners to stamp their authority and make the major changes that are clearly necessary. Will it happen and who is there at St Mary's with the expertise to call the shots? It will not be long before we find out!

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highfield49 added 10:40 - May 28 This summer is already feeling like turning the clock back twelve months. Squad needs strengthening but little or no funds available. Dead wood that can't be shifted on expensive contracts. Players that could add some quality, e.g. Cornet and Tarkowski mentioned by Block8 above, will go to other clubs such as Newcastle, Villa, Everton, who can pay higher wages. Lots of transfer rumours but others, Villa for example, have already made several squad additions picking up loan and free transfer players. Only the manager can tell us, but why wasn't Tyler Dibling, and other young prospects, given game time at the tail end of the season instead of Broja who wont be with us next year? The answer to that is of course because the players who couldn't put in a performance for weeks put our league survival on the line and left no opportunity to play new faces. We're now in a situation where several loaned out players have returned to the club with match experience gained in lower leagues. Has anyone monitored their progress and enable decisions to be made on their first team squad potential? If they're not good enough they need to go, if they're close to top level ability for goodness sake extend their contracts and give them game time. Why is it that Ralph can take risks with half fit, out of form players, weird tactics and veteran substitutes but not even get the likes of Dibling thirty minutes on the pitch? Dithering around and making poor transfer decisions has been a feature of the club for too long. Livramento, KWP, Perraud and Small were all sound recruits but only KWP has made real progress for various reasons. Please stop hedging bets, Long, Djenepo, Walcott, Elyounnousi, Redmond, Diallo and others aren't going to make any impact next year, time to really move on.

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redwight added 11:16 - May 28 Groundhog day. Sick of seeing players who have proved themselves in the prem. being linked with other clubs whilst we make do with unknowns. Keep thinking (hoping?) that it will change next week, or the week after, or the week after....................
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BornAsaint added 15:17 - May 28 You all remind me of old ladies gossiping of the fence while hanging out laundry 😂🤪🤣 ❤️🤍 COYR 🤍❤️
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